


Out of Sync

by kxtan_153



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Band, Artificial Intelligence, Bisexual Tyler Joseph, Cyborgs, Family Bonding, Fist Fights, Gang Rape, Gang Violence, Gen, Inspired by Music, Late Night Conversations, Metaphors, Natural Haired Josh Dun, Physical Abuse, Protective Siblings, Sibling Love, Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-18 00:02:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18974980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kxtan_153/pseuds/kxtan_153
Summary: "I'm never coming back here," Tyler vows, his eyes glistening in anger, "I swear it.""Why not?" Josh's voice is too quiet. Softer than it normally was. "Don't you feel like this place is like home?"Tyler grimaces. There's still hatred in his eyes. "This is not my home, especially after what they did to my brother."





	Out of Sync

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the song Neon Brother by Nothing But Thieves.

Every artificial breath burns his throat. 

  


Dark is when he doesn't breathe.   


  


Time is slower. 

  


Dark is the navy blue curtains, the black enveloping him fully when his eyes close. 

  


Muffled voices. People in masks, they're there with him, then gone. 

  


"...What? That's not supposed to be there," one says, "this is phenomenal." 

  


"Don't remove the first heart." another warns. "The second is connected to it." 

  


Silence. 

-

The light is brighter than he expected. It's warm. Blinding. 

  


"Hey. Are you feeling okay?" A man sits beside the large window, leaning forward. He has a sweet smile. His eyes squint. "I was worried about you, y'know." 

  


Hands touch him, atop his own hand. They're calloused at the fingertips, with soft palms. He feels comforted. 

  


Wires are a part of him now. Machines beep quietly. It smells like fresh linen and hand sanitizer. 

  


"Who are you?" He asks, pointing to the man with his other hand. A wire flows out from the top of it into a bag of clear liquid on a metal stand. 

  


There's a wistful look in the man's eyes. Still, he smiles. "My name's Josh. I came here to see you." 

  


"Why?" 

  


"Doctor Rawlins said that you were...um, having some heart complications," Josh admits softly, "but I'm sure her team took good care of you in the OR."

  


"What's my name?" 

  


"You don't remember?" Josh frowns. He runs his fingers through the mess of brown curls on his head, exhausted. "Your name is Tyler. That's what your parents named you when you were born." 

  


"How do _you_ know that?" 

  


"I...Well, you introduced yourself to me before this, actually. Years ago." 

  


_Tyler. What an interesting name,_ he thinks.  _I like it._  


  


"Are you taking me somewhere?" Tyler points to Josh's backpack. "Or are you running away?" 

  


Josh's face reddens. "No, I'm not." 

  


Neither of them says a word. Then Dr. Rawlins enters with a nurse. The doctor is tall with nimble hands, and when she glances at Tyler, she smiles sympathetically. The nurse has dyed blue-green hair and a smattering of freckles on his face and neck. 

  


"Hello. Are you feeling better, Mr. Joseph?" 

  


Tyler turns his head to Josh. "Is that my...last name?"  


  


"You learn quick, don't you?" Josh chuckles and looks back at Dr. Rawlins, who holds a clipboard.

  


"But it's also a first name, too. That's weird." Tyler's nose scrunches up in confusion. "Well,  _I_ think it's nice."

  


"Good." Josh pats his blanket-clothed leg in agreement.

  


"I'm okay, thank you," Tyler addresses Dr. Rawlins, "so, what am I doing here?" 

  


"You were in a car crash 7 hours ago, Tyler," she says, "and we had to try to save you as best as we could. It was from an intoxicated driver. The police are still investigating the case."

  


"Was anyone else with me?" Tyler's throat tightened. "Did they...?"

  


"No, it was just you." The nurse smiles gently. His nametag said  _Quentin_  on it.

  


Tyler feels the need to cry. He's relieved and angry and grateful. So he does cry. 

  


"Thank you. All of you." Tyler whispers. "I mean it." 

  


"Is there anything wrong with him?" Josh rubs Tyler's back. He feels screws and metal. His touch is soft. 

  


"He's...he has two hearts. Side-by-side." Dr. Rawlins gives Tyler another smile. "We aren't sure if it was a mishap from one of the specialists at BioCorp." 

  


"Will I die? From, like, too much blood circulation?" 

  


"I don't think so, Ty," Josh says reassuringly, "you'll be okay." 

  


"I hope so." 

-

 "The heart on the left is real, I know it." Tyler prods at the fleshy organ with his finger, feeling its rhythmic pounding vibrate through him. The couch he sits on is cold and leathery, sticking to his bare legs. "The right is fake."  


  


"Stop that," Josh coaxes gently, "you'll hurt yourself." He pulls Tyler's hands away and stares at them, captivated. Wires flow from the metacarpals to the radius on both hands, hidden away by skin that seems false. Curved, crescent-shaped nails push up against cuticles, with elaborate lines decorating each one. 

  


Josh's eyes fall onto Tyler's hearts. Both of them pump blood through him, but one's slower than the other. He frowns. 

  


"What's wrong?" 

  


Josh doesn't answer, pressing his hand against Tyler's chest, finding his pulse.  _Two different rhythms. It's almost like...a waltz. The first two heartbeats are from the first heart, the third is always from the second one._

_  
_

"Josh?" Tyler's hands caress his face. "Tell me what's wrong, okay?" 

  


"There's nothing wrong." Josh is so close that Tyler can see his freckles sprinkled across his pale skin. "You're just pretty. I like the way your hearts sound."

  


"Hm. Which one do you like better?" Tyler's hands are still on Josh's face. He takes them away and places them in his lap, embarrassed. Josh takes both of Tyler's hands from his lap and kisses his fingers lightly. 

  


"Both," Josh says, and Tyler smiles. 

-

The dark engulfs everything. 

  


Streetlights shine onto rain-slicked roads, the sidewalks are nearly empty of people and strollers. 

  


Tyler's metal spine cracks as he stretches for the fourth time that night. It's a breezy night in July, he's wearing a lacy black romper and red flats to match the roses printed on it. Josh tries not to stare too much. 

  


Tyler doesn't remember, but it's always been that way for the two of them. He'd always wear clothes like that going out late, Josh would wear his ridiculous cat shirts and the skinniest jeans he could find, accompanied by hiking boots or Vans, but they both would climb on top of the worn-down barn and sit on the roof, talking for hours until Tyler got debilitated and Josh would carry him back to his apartment. 

  


 Unfortunately, for Josh, tonight wasn't one of those nights. 

  


"What do you think about the human race?" Tyler asks as they enter the coffee shop, taking Josh by surprise. "We're everything we think we are, and we're nothing compared to whatever else is out there. That's my take on it." 

  


Josh sits down in the cushioned bench in the corner of the shop, beckoning Tyler to sit beside him. Tyler does.  _Typical._

_  
_

"Oh, um...sure." Josh flexes his fingers anxiously. "I guess if that's what you believe, then believe it."

  


"It's no big deal," Tyler says calmly, "really, it's okay. Just... _listen_ to what's within yourself. Listen to what your body is telling you. It knows everything it needs to. That's the way it's _supposed_ to be, anyway." 

  


"Huh." Josh's brows furrow. "Maybe you have a point." 

  


Disregarding Josh, Tyler resumes to his rambling, seeming to be deeply invested in it. 

  


"Do you hear it? The rumbling in your soul?" Tyler leans forward, hand propped in his cheek. "That means something great's gonna happen. I know it." 

  


Josh sighs. "You're not as weird as I thought you'd be." 

  


Tyler only smiles. 

-

He scrubs his face again in the bathroom sink. 

  


It's the fifth time Tyler's done it. 

  


When he looks up again, everything's distorted and warped. Colors are blurred and spread, shapes are now smears of nothing. 

  


"It's not real..." he breathes nervously, hands shaking. "It can't be." 

  


The colors twist and his vision is blurry. His fingers are becoming paler. 

  


He looks up once more. What he sees is himself, flesh and blood and bone and metal. 

  


Water washes everything away, never to be seen again as it flows down the drain.

-

"Josh, do you think that over time, hate or love will triumph the other?" Tyler sets his glass of milk on the wooden table and awaits for Josh's response.

  


Josh says nothing. 

  


Tyler frowns and tries again: "Hate is a punch to the face. Love is a kiss. Which one is the real thing?" 

  


Josh still says nothing. 

  


-

It's close to midnight again. Tyler is alone as he walks down the street, wrapping himself in the fleece shawl draped over his shoulder. 

  


"Are you lost?" A woman's voice startles him for a moment. 

  


She's blonde, wearing a leather jacket, a floral-printed shirt, and torn jeans. Tyler notes that her feet are bare, and are completely metallic. She's holding a large jar full of red pills. 

  


"No, I'm just looking for...my friend, actually. He usually comes with me on nights like these." Tyler fidgets nervously, teeth gnawing at his lip. "Are  _you_ lost?" 

  


"No," the woman says, "but I'll help you look for him. If you want me to." 

  


"Thank you for the offer, but I think he'll show up soon. I'm Tyler." 

  


She extends her hand. "I'm Jenna." 

  


He freezes. "What?" 

  


Her face pales in fear. "Are you feeling okay, Tyler?" 

  


Tyler stares at her a little bit longer.  _Blue eyes,_ he thinks,  _I know those eyes._

  


"I  _know_ you! We've met before!" Tyler laughs loudly and hugs Jenna, earning a confused half-smile and awkward silence from her. 

  


"You're  _sure_ you're okay?" Jenna laughs.  _He's heard that laugh before. It's so familiar._

_  
_

"Yeah..." Tyler, shaken with excitement and awe, runs his hands through his hair, eyes wide, chest heaving. He exhales, trying to stop his hands from shaking. " _Yeah._ " 

  


This time of day felt like home to him. He kept still for a moment, laughing to himself. The wires in his brain hummed in exhilaration, his senses overloaded, and he tried to breathe. 

  


_1, inhale, 2, exhale, 3, inhale, 4, exhale._  


_  
_

Jenna whispers something, and three other people emerge from the back alleyway, faces lit up by the streetlight nearby. 

  


_They weren't alone._  


_  
_

"Who are these people?" Tyler warily stares behind her. 

  


"My friends," Jenna says, "they're nice." 

  


On the left side of her are two women, both seeming to be around 20-something years old. One was tall and lanky, looking mildly annoyed, while the other was short, curvaceous, and seemed to take interest in what Tyler had to say next. On Jenna's right side was a young man, probably about 19 years old, eyes glued  _directly_ at Tyler, his gaze sharp. 

  


"Only 1 of them seems... _nice,_ " Tyler whispers to Jenna, eyeing the short woman, "I doubt she's scary." 

  


"I'm flattered that you think so," the short one smiled widely, "I'm Luisa, that's Naomi, and that's..." 

  


"Beckett," the man grumbles irritably. He turns away and avoids Tyler's lingering eye contact.

  


None of them say a word. Jenna clears her throat awkwardly.

  


"Do you hear it, guys?" Tyler asks. "It's getting nearer and nearer every hour." 

-

   


Tyler's mother makes lasagna for dinner on Saturday evening at 7:00 PM like she always did. 

  


Except Tyler was there, at the table. 

  


It wasn't strange at all, at least, not to the Josephs, to house 4 adults in their childhood home. In fact, it was a little less quiet, and their parents enjoyed their children's company. 

  


"So, Tyler, what's it like having two hearts?" His father makes minimal eye contact with Tyler as he slices right down the middle of his fairly large piece with a butter knife and fork. "It's not too much like having one, right?" 

  


Tyler shrugs. "It's pretty much like that, I guess." He looks around and doesn't see Zack present in the kitchen at all. "Hey, Dad, have you seen Zack at all? Where is he?" 

  


"He's out with friends," Madison replies through a mouthful of peas, "as usual."

  


"Hmm." Tyler frowns. "Is he coming back?" 

  


"Don't know," Jay says quietly, "he didn't say." 

  


Tyler doesn't feel like eating anymore. 

-

Bruises. 

  


An entire bouquet of bruises, as a gift. 

  


His body hurts. 

  


_Get up, get up now. They'll kill me if I don't get up,_ he thinks,  _I don't want to die._  


  


Fists collide with his jaw, he's afraid they'll cut him up. 

  


_Or worse._  


_  
_

"Oh, come _on_ , you can't fight?" 

  


"God, you're such a fucking pussy! Get up and fight!" A kick to the stomach. Someone grabs his head and bashes it into the pavement. 

  


_His ears are ringing. He can't breathe._  


_  
_

They hoist him up, slam his body against the brick wall. Someone pulls out a switchblade from their pocket. His vision is blurry.

  


"Please don't!  _Please_!" His throat is raw. "Don't hurt me!"

  


"Too late for that now, bitch," one of them grips his face and grins like a bastard, "I'm gonna  _kill_ you and I'm gonna like it. You better not make _any_ noise or I'll fucking break your skull open. Got it?" Elbows dig into his side, a hand tightly closes around his neck.  _Tighter, tighter. It hurts._

_  
_

The tip of the blade pierces the skin just below his ribs. He squirms, just a little, and it cuts slightly  _too_ deep. He screams, horrified, only earning himself another cut and a kick at his chest, knocking the air from his lungs. 

  


"If you were a girl, I'd totally fuck you right here, right _now_ ," one smiles deviously, sharply tugging on his hair, "but, since you're being such a _brat_ , I might as well go ahead." 

  


"Oh, shit, you're  _serious,_ Carson?"

  


"This little bitch is being uncooperative, so why not?" A hand tugs. The one called Carson smirks at his fearful expression.

  


He shakes his head quickly, desperately. 

  


"Oh, sweetheart, you don't want it?" Carson smiles wickedly. 

  


He can't get away. He's crying, he can't stop crying, it all  _hurts._ “No―”

  


"Too bad." Carson's hands are aggressive, they  _touch_ and  _grope_ and  __ _prod_. 

  


"Stop, stop!" He screams, but one of them covers his mouth, another grips his wrists. 

  


Carson's eyes are searching for his face, the expression it has.  _Fear._

_  
_

When he squirms, Carson only gets more aggressive. Carson's laughing, now, gripping his neck,  _choking him,_ and all of the others give him more gifts: a black eye, a broken hand, and a plethora of crude drawings made from cigarette burns on his arms. 

  


He whimpers, begging for mercy. "Stop... _please ―_"

  


"You can take it, you  _bitch._ " Carson sneers, his thrusts getting harder. "I should've killed you while I had the chance. I'm just being nice now, so don't expect any other favors."

  


_His ears keep ringing. Louder._  


_  
_

When they're done with him, he's laying in an abandoned alleyway, nearly half-dead and rotting like the prey they'd made him become. 

- 

It's nighttime again. It seemed to Tyler that it's been like that for days now. 

  


"Tyler!" 

  


Josh runs up to him, looking despondent. 

  


"What's wrong?" 

  


"Zack," is all Josh says, and Tyler's soul broke. 

-

"Oh my God..." Tyler's mother paces anxiously in the waiting room of the ER. "How could I be so _irresponsible_?"  


  


His entire family was a mess. Cousins, aunts, uncles, nephews, and nieces, they were all in distress and disarray. 

  


Tyler didn't talk at all during the wait. 

  


Zack's friends from law school were there, too, trying to comfort the Joseph family. 

  


"Tyler?" Josh rests a hand over his own and stares. "I know this is a lot to handle. And I'm here for you. Okay?" 

  


Tyler doesn't say anything. He cries into Josh's shoulder, his tears hot and silent and burning. 

  


When the surgeon, Dr. Bautista-Hernandez comes out, Tyler's mother stops pacing. Everyone stops what they're doing and  _looks._

  


"Mr. and Mrs. Joseph?" 

  


The two of them leave. 

  


Tyler's anxious, chewing his lip.  _Please let him be okay,_ Tyler prays,  _I want him to live. Please._

_  
_

Josh's hand squeezes Tyler's leg. He tries to smile. 

  


Madison's head snaps up when the door opens. 

  


_Their mother is crying. Their father is stone-faced._  


  


"...Mom?" Tyler's voice is raspy. 

  


She smiles and nods. "He's okay. He'll be okay." 

  


Tyler cries again, the feeling of dread in his chest exploding. "He's okay, he's okay, he's  _okay..._ " 

  


A strong sense of relief washes over the waiting room. 

  


Tyler's mother smiles at him again.  _We'll be okay_ , she mouths to him,  _we'll be okay._

-

"Hey," Tyler whispers, opening the door to Zack's bedroom. 

  


It's bright and warm outside, but Zack is covered in blankets and he's shaking. The curtains are closed. 

  


"I love you," Tyler says, and he means it. Zack knows that, too, so he smiles. 

  


"I can tell." 

  


"Good." Tyler leans against the doorframe. "Can I get you anything?" 

  


"Um...water?" 

  


"You sound unsure," Tyler teases, still handing him a water bottle anyway, "but that's okay." 

-

Zack builds a birdhouse with Tyler the next day. 

  


He says it's for the bluejays and the mourning doves that come by occasionally. 

  


Tyler laughs at a corny joke Zack tells, and his brother's eyes light up for the first time in weeks. Tyler notices that Zack's gotten happier with him around. 

  


"You're feeling okay, right?" 

  


Zack's reply is genuine. "I'm getting there." 

-

He's been sleeping for 7 hours now. 

  


When Tyler checks up on Zack, he flinches when the door creaks open. 

  


Zack looks at Tyler, grinning. "Not so subtle, Ty," he says warmly, "I thought you were stealthier." 

  


"I didn't want to wake you up." Tyler defends, his voice sounding extremely sincere. 

  


"It's alright, I couldn't sleep anyway." Zack sits up further, wincing at the pressure on his stomach. "Do you want to talk?"

  


"But it's 1 AM. You should sleep." 

  


Zack sighs, defeated. "Maybe tomorrow?" 

  


Tyler nods. "Maybe tomorrow."

  


Holding out his pinky finger, Zack stares. "Do you promise?"

  


Tyler links his pinky finger with Zack's. "I promise." 

-

  


Josh spots Tyler sitting on a bench near the gas station. He's wearing a halter top and a floral skirt today. He smiles when he sees Josh. 

  


"Hi." 

  


Josh waves back and sits next to him. "How've you been?" 

  


Tyler smiles. "Good. Zack is getting better, he's smiling a lot more. Last night, he tried getting out of bed and I helped him." 

  


"That's awesome!" Josh's answer seems to be earnest. His cigarette moved slightly when he grinned.

  


"But I know it won't last forever," Tyler frowns, "and that scares me. Because...what if he gets hurt again?" 

  


"Think positively, okay?" Josh says. "It won't last forever, but he's getting stronger, isn't he?" 

  


Tyler grins. "He was already pretty strong before, yeah." 

  


"That proves my point." Josh grins back at Tyler and squeezes his human hand. "We're gonna be alright."

-

Night falls. 

  


It's cold. 

  


"It's always dark in this town," Tyler tells Jenna, "why do you think so?" 

  


"The world is preparing." Her eyes don't meet his as they sit in the library. She has a book about biology in her left hand. Her nails are well-manicured, the color of rust. 

  


"For what, exactly?" Tyler rests his elbows on his thighs. They're on the carpet in the back, but he has no idea why.  _Are we looking for something?_ Tyler wonders.  _Maybe Jenna just likes it back here. Maybe for privacy?_

  


She ignores his question and reads her book. 

  


Tyler becomes impatient. The wires in his chest hum lowly. 

  


"It's coming closer," Jenna's voice is a whisper. "I hear it." 

  


Tyler's face pales. He feels nauseous. 

  


"We need to leave." Jenna grabs Tyler's hand and drops her book. 

  


The pages flip open to a section titled  _The Circulatory System._ __

_  
_

His eyes grow wide.  "Jenna―?" 

  


She doesn't say anything. She keeps running and drags him along, her face resembling the expression he knew too often. 

  


_Fear._

-

Tyler's mother was in the kitchen. His father was doing paperwork at the table, Jay and Madison were playing cards, and Zack was in the living room, with the TV volume on low. He was watching  _National Geographic_. A documentary about alligators. 

  


"How're you holding up, buddy?" Tyler ruffles Zack's hair and plops next to him. 

  


"Better," Zack sighs, "are we still doing what you promised?" 

  


Tyler's face lights up. "Of course." 

  


His brother nods, attempting to act serious. "Good." 

  


At 1 AM, Tyler crept into Zack's room and sat on the floor with him, talking about college, their favorite TV shows, and their futures.  

  


"I miss you. A lot." Tyler's thankful that it's dark outside. He blushes, lacing his fingers together. 

  


"But I'm here, Tyler," Zack reassures him, "I'm  _here_." 

  


"I know, but―" Tyler falters and shakes his head. "Never mind."

  


Morning comes, and they're both asleep on the carpet, warmed by fleece blankets and the rising Sun.

-

"I'm leaving," Tyler says, face red with irritation, "I mean it."

  


Josh rubs his temples. "Tyler, we've been over this..."

  


" _Josh._ " Tyler's voice tightens. "I'm getting out of here." 

  


Josh doesn't reply. Then, he says: "Please don't."

  


"I'm never coming back here," Tyler vows, his eyes glistening in anger, "I swear it."  


  


"Why not?" Josh's voice is too quiet. Softer than it normally was. "Don't you feel like this place is like home?"

  


Tyler grimaces. There's still hatred in his eyes. "This is not my home, _especially_ after what they did to my brother."  


  


He leaves on a bus at 12:00 PM with a grey-and-red backpack. At the bus stop, he stares at Josh, there's something like pain in his eyes. A tight embrace from Tyler startles Josh, and before he climbs on, Tyler whispers: "You'll be okay. I'll let you know when I get there." 

  


Josh isn't sure what  _'there'_ is, but he's certain that Tyler will find it. 

  


He watches the bus drive down the road, never to be seen again.

  


Josh repeats the words over and over, hoping they're true. 

  


_I'll be okay,_ Josh thinks.  _I'll be okay._

_-_

Tyler texts Josh once he's 29 miles away from his hometown. 

  


**Tyler:** _I'm 29 miles away from you. Wish me luck. :)_  


**Josh:**   _You'll be okay without me, yeah?_  


**Tyler:** _I'm not a baby, Josh. I'll be fine. Trust me._

**Josh:** _Okay. If you do change your mind, call me._

**Tyler:** _Will do._

  


Tyler doesn't call Josh. 

  


As he stares out the window, he feels his pulse slow.  _It's_ _almost like a broken car engine._

  


Horrified, he dials Josh's number. 

  


"Pick up, pick up,  _please_ ―" 

  


Josh answers. "Hi. You want to come back now, don't you?" There's some sort of playfulness in his tone. "I figured."

  


"Josh,  _listen to me_. There's something...there's something wrong with my chest. I don't know what it is..." Tyler wheezes. "I need to get off this damn bus right now. I'm coming back there." 

  


"Tyler, don't. I'm coming to get you. Stay there. Just...get off of the bus and stay on the side of the road. I'll pick you up in my truck." Josh seems calmer than normal. 

  


"O-Okay. Hey, Josh?" 

  


"Yeah?" The reception crackles a little. "Is everything alright?" 

  


"I...I'm sorry. I love you and I'm really sorry for being so overdramatic and―" Tyler cuts off. 

  


"What?" 

  


No answer. 

  


" _Tyler._ " Josh grits his teeth. 

  


"It's...it's  _here_." Tyler's voice shakes so much that Josh can barely understand him. "Get away from here. Go.  _Now._ " 

  


"Tyler, are you―?" 

  


__His phone goes dead.  


**Author's Note:**

> Wow, this was a mess. 
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading this trainwreck. :)


End file.
